New challenge - Texture

I'm late joining in with our DT for our latest challenge hosted by Neil which is Texture.

I started the main piece quite a while ago and hadn't done anything with it.

I made the main daisy (below) using the new fibres but the rest of the piece is made from leftover pieces from other projects that I re-ironed and fused together.  The daisy above was pre-stamped and cut out then added into other leftover fibres as a complete image.

Below you can just about see pieces that have black stamping which was from leftover pieces I had when I'd cut a stamped wording background with a Sizzix die, some are pieces left after I cut out stamped images.

You can also just about see some Mica Flakes that I added for extra texture.

The piece has quite a lot of texture that I've tried to capture in the photos, there are a few stamped and cut out pieces in the picture below, I used even the smallest pieces of snippings, so nothing is wasted!!

As well as Mica Flakes I also added some leafing flakes before ironing/fusing together.

The picture below is from a different angle catching a different light, it is not quite as vibrant as the other photos as it isn't catching the  highlights of the fibres and Mica pieces. I've included the picture to show how distinct the colours are and how they change in different lights/angles.

The items I used are:-

Aspects of Design 28 - Double Delights
USArtQuest Dicrofibres
USArtQuest - Mica Flakes - Copper
USArtQuest - Gildenglitz - Variegated

If you visit our website you may spot a new page at the top that I have made so I can tell you about new things, updated things and other general changes.  As the website is growing I thought it would help us all as one thing I know is that I still need to add more photos!!

I have noticed this weekend that since I finished updating all the photos in the Dreamweaver section we have had more orders for those products.   A lot of the sections have the full product range but still without pictures and I know it is the photos that bring the products to life.  I'll keep adding more pictures but if there is something specific you'd like to see then please let me know and I'll try to get a picture for you.   From now, as I finish a category, I'll mention it on the new updates page.

Anyway, back to the latest challenge, I hope you will be able join in, the challenge blog can be found HERE.

Thank you for visiting

Jill x

USArtQuest collage

I thought today that I'd show another USArtQuest collage piece that artist and company owner Susan Pickering Rothamel made some years ago, it shows a number of products that I'll point out in the following close up pics so you can see how they have been used.

The pic below shows layered mica tiles along with mica flakes.  The background edge has a number of different coloured webbing sprays

You can see the colour of the mica flakes a little better in this photo

The background of the fern is Pearl Ex mica powders mixed with Perfect Paper Adhesive, yes adhesive = glue but in this case it makes a rich shimmery paint!  The colours really pop on dark card.

I hope you have a good day!

Jill

USArtQuest Faux Lace

Here's another card from my play time with USArtQuest products, back to the faux lace and vintage watercolour mica paint set!

Again, I ruched up the great tape and added those sprinkly Mica Flakes and D'Lights, then watercoloured with the vintage set.

I added a mini postcard from the travel (trains, planes, boats and places) mini postcards.  I cut down the postcard and distressed it as well as the large labels 8 nestie to create loads of texture on the card.

The colours aren't showing too well in the photos, the flower colour looks a little out of place here but it matches well with the cards shimmer in real life, how odd how the colours in our photos turn out wrong sometimes!

I used the Hero Arts Fabulous Flourish stamp on the border panel and added a couple of copper curly clips.

Everyone else in blogland are showing Christmas cards, so I'm feeling a little out of place showing non Christmas cards at the moment.  After 20 odd years of Christmas card making, I decided that this year I would stick to one design and you've already seen it (no surprises for anyone getting a card from me then!), I've made loads of them so, to be honest, I'm Christmas carded out!!!!  It's been nice to move onto new makes.

Can I shock you and tell you that I've already made 5 Valentines cards!  I'd like to be able to tell you they are all for Ian, lol!!!  Can you believe that two of them have already been lost in the post...So much for getting ahead of things!  I'm usually late for everything and this has proved that bad things can also happen when you're an early bird!!

I got our Christmas tree trimmed yesterday, so I'm feeling a little more festive.  I was down south last week for a very brief and rare trip just to visit my family, normal visits to them are when I've been down for some of the Create and Craft shows and if the timing is right I get to visit them so it was a great time to just focus the trip on visiting them, it was so LOVELY to see and spend time with them all and it just flew by far too quickly. 
 
Short notice I know, but Nigel fans (from Create and Craft), hit record for the Weakest Link on BBC1 at 5.15pm tonight.  Nigel is a contestant, I'm looking forward to watching that later!

Jill

Santa's Wish

I've combined T!m's Santa's Wish stamps with USArtQuest products for this card.

I used distress inks for the stamping, the largest labels 8 nestie for the main panel and the Christmas Wishes stamp from AOD 33 Holly Sprays.

The background on the base card is made using the Vintage set of USArtQuest watercolour micas.

I used several strips of great tape down the border and a little way across the bottom of the card.  I ruched the glue strips to created a faux lace effect.  I then sprinkled on mother of pearl and copper mica flakes.  The copper mica flakes have a verdi gris mix/effect which is yummy!

Oh, I just love all those bits of shimmery magic!!

I hope you have a good day.

Jill

A few more pieces of Susan's artwork

I thought I'd show you more artwork that Susan from USArtQuest had on display at the recent workshop.  The first picture is a fantastic collage that incorporates a lot of products, can you spot them all?  There's faux lace, Dicrofibers, Gilden Glitz, Mica Tiles, Mica Flakes, Mica D'Lights and Mica Watercolours.  You'll find them all HERE.

The next photo isn't so good but I had to show it as I'm sure you can see how lush this scrapbook page must be in real life!  It is the faux lace technique I mentioned a few posts ago with Gilden Glitz, Mica Flakes and Mica D'lights.  This technique in gold is stunning!!

The final example is the faux lace technique, after applying the tape, ruching it and then adding the Mica Flakes and D'lights, Susan then added mica watercolour paints from the new Vintage Watercolour Palettes

Welcome December!!!  Anyone got any snow? 

Keep safe everyone!

Jill

Great tape and Mica - it's my kind of treasure!!!

Here's another sample piece I made at the USArtQuest workshop a couple of weeks ago, I had forgotten how satisfying this technique is.  You apply the Great Tape to the card first, ruch it up then add sprinkly bits, ie Mica Flakes, Mica D'Lights and Gliden Glitz, it looks like treasure!  Well, it does to me as I'm a sucker for this kind of bling!!!

It may appear to be expensive but you need to know that these are the original artist's quality products that are designed not to yellow or fade, they are safe, and you know that your work whether it be in a scrapbook or a piece of art, will stand the test of time and remain perfect.  There is plenty of product so it will last a long time but if, for instance, you fancy trying a small amount but in more colours, then perhaps try the kits, the Faux Lace Collection Kit contains all you need for this technique and the  Mica Flakes Expression kit will give you great combinations of extra colours of Mica Flakes to play with.  I've taken 20% off the kits as an introductory offer!

This is one of the techniques I will be playing with the ladies that attend my technique workshop next Saturday.  So I'll be looking forward to having another play.   We have some spaces left if you are interested, you can book a place HERE

I hope you are all keeping safe and warm.  It's looking like a good weekend to stay indoors and finish off those Christmas cards!!!

Enjoy your weekend

Jill

More Dicrofibers

Here is another example of the Dicrofibers that we used in Saturday's workshop, I mainly followed the same technique as yesterday, except that I've added pieces of leafing flakes inside the fibres.  You need to fluff up paler colours on top of the stamp, add the leafing flakes and then ideally add some darker colours of fibre.  Have a fiddle about to make it look nice before pressing with non-stick paper with a medium hot iron.

The wording background was stamped using USArtQuest Duo adhesive applied directly to the rubber, the stamped Duo image needs to change from white to clear before you apply leafing flakes.  I'll show more examples of this another time.

I found some silver coloured dog tags (spicy and fruit) and coloured them with gold alcohol inks.


I'm looking forward to playing more with these fibres!!

Thanks for visiting

Jill

USArtQuest Dicrofibers

Dicrofibres are very soft fibres that can be fused together, the fibre itself is much finer and softer than any that I have come across before also, the colours are absolutely beautiful, there are softer shades and they work really well together too.

The cards above and below were made by Susan Pickering Rothamel of USArtQuest

You need to ink a red rubber stamp with black permanent ink (do not use clear stamps for this technique as they will likely melt!), pull fibres apart to fluff up and lay them onto the inked stamp.  Cover with a non-stick pressing paper such as parchment paper and press with a medium hot iron.  When cool cut out designs to make into a card.

Below are my efforts at the workshop with the fibres, we were running late so we had to work fast.  Next time I do this technique I will spend more time arranging the elements that have been sandwiched behind Lamin-It pieces.  Once arranged the Lamin-It piece is ironed to fuse the pieces together.

Fibres, papers and other bits and pieces can be added.

Finally the piece from my display board that was inspired by Susan's at the top of the post, the 2 flower heads were cut out and layered.  They are made with different coloured fibres to make the pieces stand out

I am still adding products to the USArtQuest section on our website and unfortunately I don't have any photos of the different Dicrofibers kits as yet, I will add them as soon as I can.

I have a couple of technique workshops coming up and have decided to add some of the techniques from Saturday into the day as I'm sure everyone will love to have a play too!

I'll show another piece I made with the Dicrofibers tomorrow, then move on to the other techniques on the boards.

Jill

So simple collage...

 

I posted yesterday evening that Debbie and I had a brilliant day out and went on a USArtQuest workshop with the company owner/super talented artist Susan Pickering Rothamel and her equally super talented sidekick Frankie, it was absolutely FAB:))) 

I've known Susan and admired her talent for many years, unfortunately I haven't seen her for a few years, so it was fantastic to see her again, to have a big hug, and to learn even more techniques with her great products.

She worked us hard, we completed 4 display boards each full of 4 of techniques along with instructions that you can see for yourself soon when you visit our shop.   I got all inspired with the old products again and was truly wowed with the new ones, so I'll be showing you some things here.  There's also a lot of techniques that you can use with your Cuttlebug:)  I feel there's going to be some great new technique classes coming on with all these great materials...

The piece shown above was so quick and easy to make,  but look how complex it looks!! It is laminated and made mostly from leftovers from other projects.  This was made by Susan along with other pieces I took photos of to show you.  Susan used papers, fibres, metal leafing and mica pieces to make it.  Unfortunately some of the photos haven't come out very well but I'll be showing what I have and also the pieces I made at the class.

The photo below shows a similar technique.

I've started adding more USArtQuest products to our website, the products are all the best quality materials you'll find.  I'll post more about them but for instance the dicro fibres are much finer and softer than any I've seen on the market and therefore finished artwork is of a much higher quality.  The adhesives do so much more than just stick things down, I'll attempt to describe all the uses another time.

I've made some introductory offers on some of the kits on our website for a limited period, so it is an ideal time to try them or perhaps someone would like to treat you for Christmas, I've got my eye on the Napkin Collage Kit, wait until you see what you can do with that!!!!

I hope you've had a good weekend!

Jill

Rotherham - Skipton Coach Trip

Forty plus ladies visited us on a coach trip last Monday, they all joined in Make and Takes with Janet and Michelle and made beautiful cards.  Some of the ladies hadn't stamped before or even embossed, they did a fabulous job with their first try at it all.

While half of the ladies made cards, the other half shopped and had lunch.

The weather on Monday was awful, lots of wind and rain, not a great weather day for travelling but I think the ladies enjoyed their day out.  We had a problem with the toilet...  We won't go into too much detail, but it couldn't have happened on a worse day!

Well, this is my first post for over a week, naughty, naughty!!!  I'm hoping I'm now over the horrid bug thing!!!

Debbie and I had a brilliant day out today and went on a USArtQuest workshop with the company owner/super talented artist Susan Pickering Rothamel and her equally super talented sidekick Frankie, it was absolutely FAB:)  I haven't seen Susan for a few years so it was lovely to see her and learn even more great techniques with her products.  She worked us hard, we completed 4 display boards full of techniques.    I got all inspired with the old products again and wowed with the new ones, so I'll be showing you many things here soon.  There's also a lot of techniques that you can use with your Cuttlebug:) 

I hope you are all having a great weekend too!!

Jill